Stella's Way
by CycloneT
Summary: “Which is it, Mac?” she interrupted. “Because if you thought I wasn’t serious you were sadly mistaken.” [MacStella]


Title: Stella's Way  
Author: Cyclone  
Summary: "Which is it, Mac?" she interrupted. "Because if you thought I wasn't serious you were sadly mistaken." Mac/Stella Disclaimer: As usual, I'm just borrowing.  
Notes: Fluff. Enjoy. 

XxX

Mac knew he'd made a mistake as soon as he walked into the lab. Stella took one look at him, glared daggers pointy enough that even Danny got their message loud and clear and made a hasty exit, and beckoned that he should follow her with an imperious wiggle of her pointer finger.

"Do you want to explain what you think you're doing?" she asked, once they were in the privacy of his office.

"Stella . . ."

"Because I thought I made it perfectly clear when I said that you were not, under any circumstances, to return to work without a signed doctors certificate giving you the all clear. So that leads me to assume that you either have one folded in your pocket that you'll produce any minute now," and she paused for dramatic effect, "Or that you thought I wasn't serious about what I said I'd do to you if you showed up without one."

"Stella –"

"Which is it, Mac?" she interrupted. "Because if you thought I wasn't serious you were sadly mistaken."

"If you'd let me speak I'd tell you," he stalled, trying to think of some excuse she'd buy. The trouble was, Stella wasn't someone who would accept his affirmation that he felt fine at face value. She'd want irrefutable proof, and somehow he didn't think that Hawkes' testament that he was okay would cut it.

She arched a brow, recognising his tactic for what it was, and moved to sit down behind his desk. "Go ahead," she said sweetly. "I'm all ears."

"I think you're forgetting that I'm the one who signs your pay checks at the end of the week," he began. "Are you really sure that you want to commit yourself to a course of action that could have a negative impact on your future employment."

"Please," she scoffed, with a roll of her eyes. "You won't fire me."

"I will if you do what you're thinking of doing."

Unfortunately Stella knew her own worth and so she didn't even bother addressing his threat. "I warned you, Mac. You can't say that I didn't. You knew what the consequences would be if you turned up at work before you'd been cleared. What kind of example would I be setting for the rest of the team if I didn't follow through?"

He knew that tone. That smug, taunting tone was going to be the death of him. If he didn't know her as well as he did he would have accused her temporary promotion to supervisor as going to her head. And if she hadn't been armed he still might have done it anyway, just to take the wind out of her sails a little. But she was armed and he did know her, and from what Intel he'd been able to gather before he'd made the mistake of walking into her lab no one had any complaints about her way of doing things. "You're looking very comfortable behind that desk," he noted instead.

"Show me the certificate and you can have it back," she retorted, knowing exactly what he'd been thinking. "It's that easy."

"I can't."

"And why is that?"

"You know why."

"Yes, but I want to hear you say it," she pressed.

"Because I don't have one," he admitted. "Are you happy now?"

"Yes," she smiled. "Immensely. And now that we've got that out of the way, there's only one thing left to do."

He didn't trust that glint in her eyes. She looked like she was still planning to follow through on what she'd threatened. "There's no need for that, Stella. I'm going."

"Really? Then why are you still standing here?"

"Because you haven't given me a chance to leave yet," he replied reasonably.

She stood up and moved around to the front of the desk. "You don't mind if I walk with you, do you? I wouldn't want you to get lost on your way out."

"Not at all," he lied. "I'd like that."

"Good. Just let me . . . ahh, there he is," she said, motioning for Flack to enter her office.

"Stella," he warned.

"You didn't really think I'd let you get away with it, did you?"

"Stella –"

"It's for your own good," she said, happily ignoring him.

"Stella!"

"Chicken pox is no laughing matter, Mac. Now do what the doctor ordered and go home and rest. Pick up a book or do a crossword, but _don't_ come back here until you've been cleared."

"You heard the boss, let's go," Flack said, trying to keep a straight face but failing miserably as he and Stella positioned themselves on either side and ushered him out of his own office.

"You are enjoying this entirely too much," he accused.

"I really am," Stella retorted with one of her trademark smiles. "But you can't say I didn't warn you."

"I never actually thought you'd do it."

"Now you know better."

"Now I do," he agreed.

They walked the rest of the way in silence. "Hey, Mac," she said when they reached the entrance to the building. "I really hope you take my advice. Because if there is a next time, which I kinda hope there is, an armed escort will be the least of your worries."

He stepped through the doors, turned around and waited for her to finish.

She grinned at him. "Next time I'll have you carried out."

End.


End file.
